Three Ways to Cope
by Martial Arts Master
Summary: An alternate universe fanfic, for once. What if, in that one moment in the Powerpuff Girls movie where Mojo Jojo grips the Professor, the girls DIDN'T overhear from their asteroid, and nobody stopped Mojo Jojo? Please review!
1. Prologue

Three Ways to Cope: Part One  
  
by Martial Arts Master  
  
The Powerpuff Girls and all related characters are copyrighted by Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network. Although I don't normally like doing alternate universe fanfics, this idea simply would _not_ go away. Plus, I have some spare time on my hands. Anyway, those who didn't see the Powerpuff Girls movie should probably think about not reading this, or it won't make sense. For those who _did_ see the movie, I'd like you all to answer one question: What if, during the moment where Mojo Jojo grips the Professor, the Powerpuff Girls _didn't_ overhear this, and therefore _didn't_ go rushing back to Earth from the asteroid to save the day? This fanfic shows what might have happened if that had been so. By the way, I realize my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics were sub-par. That was only because, let me assure you, that they were written back during the days when I didn't double-space anything except my homework. Unfortunately, I wrote 60 or so fics like that before I finally wised up. Well, this _will_ be double-spaced, so those who read my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics, rejoice. Now, on with the story!  
  
***  
  
After Mojo Jojo and his monkeys launched their attack on Townsville, nothing was ever the same again.  
  
They had devastated the town, and of course, thanks to that (expletive deleted) Mojo Jojo's speech about how the Powerpuff Girls had helped him, everyone thought it was the Powerpuff Girls' fault.  
  
This went through Professor Utonium's mind as he sat in his confinement cell. He blamed himself for the Powerpuff Girls not coming to his rescue.  
  
After all, when the Powerpuff Girls were bearing the brunt of Townsville's anger, what did he say to them? Did he try to tell them that they needed to use their powers to save Townsville? Did he try to tell them that the noblest thing one can do is to help those who hate one?  
  
No, he did not. Instead he said something like, "I don't know who to believe. I thought you girls were _good_..."  
  
The Professor mentally kicked himself repeatedly once Mojo Jojo had completed his takeover of Townsville.  
  
Why? _Why_, for the love of _humanity_, had he chosen to make his "daughters" think he, too, hated them? Could he really have been so foolish as not to realize that the same girls who had been elated at all the simple joys of life on the first day he had made them must have been tricked?  
  
Well, perhaps it wasn't foolishness, the Professor reflected.  
  
He didn't find out the girls had not actually meant to harm Townsville until, after Mojo Jojo had secured his place as ruler of Townsville, had confided in him that he had in fact _tricked_ the girls into helping him build his machine, lying to them to get them to do it.  
  
That was the moment the Professor realized the unspeakable error he had committed in doubting his daughters.  
  
Oh, he knew that anyone in his place would have made the same mistake...but that did not absolve him of blame, just as the fact that the girls were tricked did not absolve them of blame.  
  
After Mojo Jojo and his monkeys had overrun Townsville, they had proceeded to overrun the world.  
  
The Association of World Super Men (Author's Note: See the "Members Only" episode for details on them) had tried to stop them. Mojo Jojo and his monkeys, however, were quick to overpower them.  
  
They were now lying dead somewhere, without even any gravestones to mark their memory.  
  
Now Mojo Jojo was ruler of the earth, with monkeys for subjects. Mojo Jojo was quick to come up with a plan of action for dealing with the humans, now that the Powerpuff Girls were off somewhere lurking in space.  
  
Mojo Jojo, with his superior intellect combined with the raw manpower...or rather, monkey-power...of his subjects, built the largest rocketship ever built, and placed all of humanity, divided into groups, into containment cells on the ships.  
  
Mojo Jojo then sent the ship into space, heading for a planet called Worgoria. Mojo Jojo expected the humans to thank him, for he had selected a planet many, _many_ times larger than earth, so that even though the planet was already populated by humans who had coincidentally experienced the same evolutionary path through time that humans did, there was room for Earth's humanity.  
  
For Earth was no longer a human planet. Not anymore...it now belonged to Mojo Jojo and his monkeys.  
  
That thought hurt Professor Utonium deeply. Townsville was no picnic...littered with crime...but it had been _home_. And now he was being forced to live on a strange planet.  
  
All because he had made an insensitive remark to his "daughters", causing them to shoot off into space to sulk somewhere.  
  
Professor Utonium briefly experienced anger at his girls, but that quickly passed. He could not blame their reaction. They were only five, after all.  
  
He ate some of the dry food Mojo Jojo had provided for the voyage.  
  
Oh, how he hated Mojo Jojo. And how he hated himself.  
  
As the months passed, Professor Utonium gradually passed the time by teaching his knowledge of science to the other members of the group in the cell.  
  
He played games...but he was always reminded of what a happy life his girls had missed out on, because of not only their "strange" looks but Mojo Jojo's evil trickery.  
  
His girls shouldn't be off in space, Professor Utonium thought. They should be playing tag...though preferably not through the whole city as they had once done and made a mess. They should be going to school...eating cookies and milk for dessert...happily playing with the Professor...  
  
That thought made Professor Utonium burst into tears. He had only known the Powerpuff Girls for a few days since having created them, thanks to the whole mess with Mojo Jojo, but he had loved them as if they were his own, which technically they were, since he created them.  
  
He could still remember buying gifts for them, and how Bubbles had kissed his cheek after telling him that Octi, the stuffed octopus doll, was the best gift ever.  
  
Mercifully, Mojo Jojo's food and drink lasted throughout the voyage, which lasted for _years_. After having passed all that time by teaching science, with eager students (school was entertainment compared to a boring alternative of just sitting around in the cell), the ship arrived on the planet Worgoria.  
  
After having made an excellent landing, the ship powered down, having only been stored with enough power for a one-way trip. Mojo Jojo had wanted to make sure humanity could not return to Earth and spoil his supremacy.  
  
Worgoria, thankfully, was a planet plentiful with resources.  
  
On one section of the immensely large planet, Earth's humanity staked out a claim for itself.  
  
Gradually, it built colonies, and began a new life.  
  
But many humans still missed planet Earth, including Professor Utonium.  
  
One day, Professor Utonium decided to go exploring the planet. Mojo Jojo had told him that other sections of humanity existed, having evolved coincidentally exactly alike and having coincidentally the same languages (Author's Note: Sound farfetched? Well, listen to the alien's [Kang or Kodos, I forget which one] remark about actually speaking Rigellian, which coincidentally sounds exactly like English, and you won't think this is farfetched) and Professor Utonium wanted to meet them.  
  
He promised himself that he wouldn't go very far, so he wouldn't get lost on such a huge planet.  
  
After an hour of exploring, he finally came across a lone hermit.  
  
"Excuse me, stranger, but do you know where I can find civilization?" Professor Utonium asked the hermit politely.  
  
"Well, nearest as I can figure," the hermit answered, "there are about three cities southwest of here. Their names are Hower, Mesuvius, and Vepiquack. The queer part is that, some years back, the cities elected rulers for themselves...and the rulers were five-year-old girls."  
  
Professor Utonium gasped in shock. He quickly told himself he was jumping to conclusions. Maybe they weren't his daughters. After all, who knew what secrets this planet could hold?  
  
But the hermit next added, "Hower elected some girl named Buttercup as ruler, Mesuvius elected some girl named Blossom as ruler, and Vepiquack elected some girl named Bubbles as ruler."  
  
Now Professor Utonium was so shocked that he did the only thing he could think of.  
  
He fainted...  
  
***  
  
To be continued...  
  
***  
  
You all are probably wondering, "why are the Powerpuff Girls on this planet instead of on the asteroid, even if years have passed?" Well, that will be explained in the next chapter. Now let me explain something: the next few chapters are going to deal with Professor Utonium's reunion with his girls and how each girl reacts to seeing him again and how they've coped with the memories they must have of how Townsville treated them, how the Professor loved them, and how the Professor finally made that insensitive comment. And I promise you, each girl's reaction will be _extremely_ different. So, now you see how changing one moment in a movie can change everything? E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@comcast.net 


	2. Buttercup's Reaction

Three Ways to Cope: Part Two  
  
by Martial Arts Master  
  
The Powerpuff Girls and all related characters are copyrighted by Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network. Although I don't normally like doing alternate universe fanfics, this idea simply would _not_ go away. Plus, I have some spare time on my hands. Anyway, those who didn't see the Powerpuff Girls movie should probably think about not reading this, or it won't make sense. For those who _did_ see the movie, I'd like you all to answer one question: What if, during the moment where Mojo Jojo grips the Professor, the Powerpuff Girls _didn't_ overhear this, and therefore _didn't_ go rushing back to Earth from the asteroid to save the day? This fanfic shows what might have happened if that had been so. By the way, I realize my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics were sub-par. That was only because, let me assure you, that they were written back during the days when I didn't double-space anything except my homework. Unfortunately, I wrote 60 or so fics like that before I finally wised up. Well, this _will_ be double-spaced, so those who read my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics, rejoice. Now, on with the story!  
  
***  
  
Professor Utonium eventually woke up from his faint.  
  
"Bubbles, Blossom and Buttercup are _here_?" the Professor asked.  
  
The hermit nodded.  
  
"And you said they are now rulers of three cities?" the Professor asked.  
  
The hermit nodded again.  
  
"Where did you say I can find these cities?" the Professor repeated.  
  
"Just keep going southwest," the hermit advised. "You'll run into Hower eventually, and if you keep going southwest from there, you'll run into Mesuvius, and if you keep going southwest from _there_, you'll run into Vepiquack."  
  
After a thank-you, the Professor continued southwest. He was taking pains to remember his trail so he wouldn't get lost on the way back.  
  
Eventually, he ran into a city whose looks certainly surprised him.  
  
The place was a pig-sty. There was dirt and grunge everywhere, with apparently no one bothering to clean it up.  
  
Professor Utonium noticed a sign that said, "Welcome to Hower."  
  
The hermit had said that this as the city that elected Buttercup as its ruler.  
  
That, Professor Utonium noted ruefully, must be the reason it's such a mess. Buttercup always did seem like the feisty one.  
  
As Professor Utonium headed into the city, he noticed the usual grocery stores, and other buildings that provided the necessities of daily life.  
  
But he also noticed that there were heavy metal bands everywhere. And they were _loud_. Professor Utonium almost had to cover his ears, but not quite.  
  
There were also prositutes everywhere, although whether that was a good thing or a bad thing depends on one's point-of-view.  
  
There were fighting championships taking place all around the city.  
  
Since Professor Utonium had plenty of time on his hands, he decided to watch one. Besides, after the fight he could probably ask one of them for where Buttercup was.  
  
There was a big, hulking brute of a woman in an orange costume fighting against a small, but wiry man in a red costume.  
  
The match lasted for five minutes.  
  
Initially, the small, wiry man was able to pepper the hulking brute of a woman with multiple hits while dodging her slow attacks.  
  
But his very speed turned out to be his downfall, as he wore himself out eventually, so the hulking brute of a woman was able to knock him out with a single punch.  
  
After the match, and after the crowd had settled their bets, Professor Utonium asked the woman, "Excuse me, do you know where I can find Buttercup, your new ruler?"  
  
"The palace at the center of the city," the woman told him. "You can't miss it."  
  
Looking at the palace in the center of the city, Professor Utonium wondered how he had missed it before.  
  
Nevertheless, he headed towards the palace.  
  
At the entrance, he was stopped by three guards.  
  
"What is your business in the palace?" the guards asked in unison.  
  
"Well, I'm here to see Buttercup," Professor Utonium explained. "I created her, you see. I'm Professor Utonium."  
  
One of the guards went inside the palace, presumably to confirm Professor Utonium's story.  
  
Then, the guard came back.  
  
"You can go in," that guard says. "Buttercup says she'll see you now."  
  
Professor Utonium sighed in relief and went inside the palace.  
  
Once he was inside the main room, Buttercup's voice, sounding exactly the same as the day she was created despite years having passed, called down, in an angry voice, "Stay right there, jerk, and I'll be right down."  
  
Professor Utonium wondered why Buttercup had called him a jerk.  
  
Then, a green flash of light barrelled into him, knocking him over.  
  
The green flash of light stood still, and there stood Buttercup, not having changed a bit, even in size. Professor Utonium theorized that this must be because, since the girls were created at age five, they must age more slowly to compensate for the early maturity.  
  
"You have some nerve, coming all the way here after what you and Townsville did to my sisters!" Buttercup shouted, seething in rage.  
  
"What did we do?" Professor Utonium wondered, still rubbing him back from where Buttercup had knocked him over.  
  
"First, Townsville arrested you simply because of our playing tag, and Townsville made us think you'd left us for dead!" Buttercup screamed. "In fact, we were getting all sorts of discrimination because of simply who we were. That's why Mojo Jojo was able to trick us."  
  
"You didn't have to knock me over," Professor Utonium protested.  
  
"And once we were tricked, did you tell us to save the town? Did you believe us when we told you we wanted to make the Townsville a better place?" Buttercup asked rhetorically. "Noooooooo, you just had to tell us instead, 'I don't know who to believe. I thought you girls were good...' You rejected us!"  
  
Then, Buttercup began pummeling Professor Utonium's face with punches.  
  
With each few punches, Buttercup screamed, "You rejected us! You rejected us! You rejected us!"  
  
Professor Utonium tried in vain to protect himself from the punches.  
  
"You apparently lied to us before!" Buttercup shouted. "You told us we were special! Well if were so special, then why, when Townsville was attacked by the monkeys, did you _reject_ us when we _needed you the most_?!"  
  
Professor Utonium theorized to himself that the shock of Professor Utonium's insensitive remark was so great that Buttercup had apparently never gotten over it. Buttercup used to love Professor Utonium, but Buttercup must have been brooding for a long time, and then, to make herself feel better, she must have painted the Professor and Townsville in general as her enemies, at least in her mind. And she did have some right to do that, if not a complete right.  
  
"All we wanted was for Townsville to accept us," Buttercup said, kicking Professor Utonium in the groin.  
  
"OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Professor Utonium squeaked, falling over.  
  
"Instead, they treated us like vermin," Buttercup seethed bitterly. "Well here's what happened to me, not like you _actually care_, judging by what you said. When you rejected us, we went off to sulk on an asteroid. Then, after about a day, we got hungry. So we flew around through space looking for something to eat, and finally discovered what we later knew to be the planet Worgoria."  
  
As Buttercup was talking, Professor Utonium had finally recovered from the kick to the groin.  
  
"We split up and each went to a different city," Buttercup explained. "And the funny thing is, because we had superpower, the cities elected us as their rulers! So, how do you like them apples, Professor Utonium and Townsville?"  
  
With that, Buttercup kicked Professor Utonium in the nose.  
  
"But Buttercup," Professor Utonium tried to explain as he covered his nose in pain, "I didn't actually reject you. I just made an insensitive remark when I said, 'I don't know who to believe. I thought you girls were good.' True, I thought you were villains at the time before Mojo Jojo told me he tricked you, but that didn't mean I didn't love you."  
  
"Liar liar liar!" Buttercup screamed. "When I was sulking on the asteroid after you _rejected_ us---"  
  
Here Buttercup put the emphasis on "rejected".  
  
"I was regretting the day you created us," Buttercup continued. "But in a way, if it hadn't been for you and Townsville rejecting us, I never would've gotten to be ruler of a whole city. I would've been stuck on Earth, leading a boring, normal life with you always telling me what to do. So maybe I should be thankful about you and Townsville---_not!!!_"  
  
With that, Buttercup landed a punch so forceful that it knocked Professor Utonium out of the palace.  
  
"And don't come back, you lousy good-for-nothing!" Buttercup called after him as he sailed over the horizon and toward the city of Vesuvius...  
  
***  
  
To be continued...  
  
***  
  
Well, now you know how Buttercup reacted to seeing Professor Utonium again, and it wasn't pretty. In case you didn't get it, Buttercup coped with her troubles by cloaking herself in anger, convincing herself that Professor Utonium and Townsville both rejected her and treated her like vermin. She's half-right, Townsville did treat her like vermin, but not the Professor. This'll probably get you wondering how Blossom and Bubbles will react upon seeing Professor Utonium again. Well, you'll know soon enough for one of them. E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@comcast.net 


	3. Blossom's Reaction

Three Ways to Cope: Part Three  
  
by Martial Arts Master  
  
The Powerpuff Girls and all related characters are copyrighted by Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network. Although I don't normally like doing alternate universe fanfics, this idea simply would _not_ go away. Plus, I have some spare time on my hands. Anyway, those who didn't see the Powerpuff Girls movie should probably think about not reading this, or it won't make sense. For those who _did_ see the movie, I'd like you all to answer one question: What if, during the moment where Mojo Jojo grips the Professor, the Powerpuff Girls _didn't_ overhear this, and therefore _didn't_ go rushing back to Earth from the asteroid to save the day? This fanfic shows what might have happened if that had been so. By the way, I realize my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics were sub-par. That was only because, let me assure you, that they were written back during the days when I didn't double-space anything except my homework. Unfortunately, I wrote 60 or so fics like that before I finally wised up. Well, this _will_ be double-spaced, so those who read my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics, rejoice. Now, on with the story!  
  
***  
  
Professor Utonium crash-landed in front of the city of Mesuvius with a *thunk*.  
  
He stood up, a little dizzy.  
  
He did, however, know he was in front of Mesuvius thanks to the sign that helpfully said, "Welcome to Mesuvius."  
  
If Professor Utonium remembered correctly, this was the city where the hermit had said Blossom had become the ruler of.  
  
As Professor Utonium headed into the city, he noticed the stark contrast between Mesuvius and Hower.  
  
where Hower had been a city of grunge and filth, Mesuvius was perfectly neat, tidy, and orderly. What's more, it looked very developed and modern, with skyscrapers everywhere and hovering vehicles travelling the skies.  
  
This, obviously, was Blossom's influence.  
  
Professor Utonium remembered ruefully how direct Blossom had been. She probably wanted everything else to be direct, too.  
  
And she had been showing signs of intelligence as well.  
  
However, Professor Utonium was cautious. He still was bruised a little from the beating he had received from Buttercup.  
  
He still could not believe that Buttercup was capable of such anger against him.  
  
Well, it couldn't be helped.  
  
He looked for a palace in the city, and soon found one: it was the biggest building in the city.  
  
When he went into the palace, he was once again stopped by guards.  
  
After the same checking procedure, Professor Utonium was told he could enter the palace.  
  
Once there, Blossom arrived, still looking exactly as Professor Utonium remembered her.  
  
What shocked the Professor, however, was the utter lack of emotion in Blossom's face.  
  
Professor Utonium had been expecting anger, or love.  
  
He got neither one.  
  
"It is good to see you, Professor Utonium," Blossom said, with no emotion in her voice whatsoever. "It has been so long since you and Townsville did not see our capabilities."  
  
Blossom had always been smart, Professor Utonium reflected, but never this..._technical_...before. What had happened to her?  
  
He soon got his answer.  
  
"You see, Professor, after my sisters and I left our asteroid, I realized what a useless idea emotions were," Blossom continued. "Emotions had caused me to be hurt by your insensitive remark. Emotions caused me to be hurt by Townsville's rejection of us."  
  
Blossom sat down on a cushion, and after a moment, Professor Utonium also sat down.  
  
"So I erased all of my emotions," Blossom continued. "It wasn't easy. But as it turned out, all I had to do was tell myself, whenever I felt anything, that 'I will not feel. I will be logical. I will help others without getting too attached to anything.' Look at me now. I am a thinking machine, and I helped get an entire city on its feet. It was worse than Hower before."  
  
Professor Utonium shook his head.  
  
"But Blossom, emotions make us human," Professor Utonium tried to convince Blossom. "Getting rid of your emotions is not the right way to do things."  
  
"It doesn't matter anymore," Blossom responded, still with that same toneless voice. "What's done is done. However, there is one good thing I have done. I have studied science and created a reality-alteration device. Strap it to your head, and you can use it to alter reality in any way you wish."  
  
Professor Utonium was astonished.  
  
"Then why aren't you using it?!" Professor Utonium almost shouted.  
  
This would've caused Blossom to flinch if she still had any emotions left, which she didn't.  
  
"Because there is too much of a risk that I might be tempted to _feel_ again while using it, and thus make bad decisions" Blossom responded. "Therefore, I left it with the one person I knew who was so innocent that she would never misuse it. Her name is Bubbles, as you know, and she is now the ruler of Vepiquack."  
  
Professor Utonium thought of an idea.  
  
"Why didn't you use it to change reality so that you came back and saved Townsville, making you heroes in their eyes?" Professor Utonium asked.  
  
Blossom looked startled. That was as much progress as he could make, Professor Utonium decided, in getting Blossom to _feel_ something.  
  
"I didn't think of that," Blossom admitted. "But now that you have, you can go to Vepiquack and convince Bubbles to give you the device. It shouldn't be that hard."  
  
"Wait!" Professor Utonium protested. "There's so much we have to talk about! You need to be able to experience emotions again! We need to talk about whether or not you forgive me! We need to talk about---"  
  
Blossom, wanting to remain emotionless, cut him off by tossing him out of the palace, out of Mesuvius, and into Vepiquack...  
  
***  
  
To be continued...  
  
***  
  
Well, now you know two reactions. Buttercup reacted by cloaking herself in anger, and Blossom reacted by cloaking herself in a lack of emotions. What will Bubbles do? Find out next chapter. E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@comcast.net 


	4. Bubbles's Reaction

Three Ways to Cope: Part Four  
  
by Martial Arts Master  
  
The Powerpuff Girls and all related characters are copyrighted by Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network. Although I don't normally like doing alternate universe fanfics, this idea simply would _not_ go away. Plus, I have some spare time on my hands. Anyway, those who didn't see the Powerpuff Girls movie should probably think about not reading this, or it won't make sense. For those who _did_ see the movie, I'd like you all to answer one question: What if, during the moment where Mojo Jojo grips the Professor, the Powerpuff Girls _didn't_ overhear this, and therefore _didn't_ go rushing back to Earth from the asteroid to save the day? This fanfic shows what might have happened if that had been so. By the way, I realize my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics were sub-par. That was only because, let me assure you, that they were written back during the days when I didn't double-space anything except my homework. Unfortunately, I wrote 60 or so fics like that before I finally wised up. Well, this _will_ be double-spaced, so those who read my earlier Powerpuff Girls fanfics, rejoice. Now, on with the story!  
  
***  
  
Professor Utonium landed painfully in front of Vepiquack.  
  
He looked up, and saw, of course, a sign that said, "Welcome to Vepiquack."  
  
Entering the city and looking around, he saw that Vepiquack was little more than a quaint little village, complete with huts and little brick houses.  
  
That was, of course, except for the palace in the middle, which looked like a castle out of a child's picture book of fairy tales.  
  
Obviously this was Bubbles's influence.  
  
Professor Utonium was wary of what he might encounter when he met Bubbles.  
  
After all, when Buttercup had seen him again, she had beaten him up, and he still carried the bruises of that encounter.  
  
Blossom had shown no reaction to him, having become emotionless by her own will.  
  
Obviously Professor Utonium had to be careful.  
  
Bubbles, apparently, did not have to be as careful, because there were no guards at the entrance to the palace, so Professor Utonium was able to, as the expression goes, waltz right in.  
  
Bubbles soon appeared...and squealed with concern upon seeing Professor Utonium's multiple bruises.  
  
"Oh no! Professor! What happened?!" she asked, then interrupted herself. "Guards! Get the medical staff!"  
  
***  
  
After Professor Utonium had been taken care of, Bubbles squealed with joy and hugged Professor Utonium.  
  
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you again, Professor!" she said. "I've been waiting years and years! I only knew you for a few days, but you were the most perfect daddy in the world!"  
  
Professor Utonium was surprised. Didn't Bubbles remember that he was the one responsible for she and her sisters heading into space in the first place?  
  
He asked as much, and Bubbles snorted dismissively.  
  
"Oh, I forgot all about that until you mentioned it," she answered. "Sure, you may have been mean once, and Townsville was mean all the time, but I know you all didn't mean it. I've been waiting for you for so long! Now we can play and play and play forever!"  
  
Professor Utonium was relieved. He theorized that Bubbles's reaction meant that, to deal with the trauma of what Townsville had done to her, she had put Professor Utonium on a pedastal, so to speak, and convinced herself that the Professor was perfect.  
  
Bubbles took out a device that looked like a helmet.  
  
"I've been waiting to use this device that Blossom gave me until you came, my perfect daddy," Bubbles told the Professor, confirming his theory. "Now we can go to Earth and make it just how we want it to be! Isn't that wonderful?"  
  
But the Professor didn't want to live in a perfect world, he privately thought. Perfect worlds were boring. He had always thought problems were necessary to help people grow, develop, and mature. However, too many problems were unnecessary.  
  
He knew, however, how to fix the problem he had caused by sending the girls into space.  
  
"Bubbles, may I please borrow the reality-altering device?" the Professor asked.  
  
Bubbles nodded and handed him the device, convinced that he could do no wrong.  
  
When the Professor strapped it to his head, he used it to _erase_ the current events, and to change one small event. He wanted the Powerpuff Girls to come back from space so long ago, back when they could have stopped Mojo Jojo...  
  
***  
  
It is years ago, and Mojo Jojo has succeeded in overrunning the town with monkeys.  
  
After some arguing with other monkeys over whom was to be the next king, Mojo Jojo had more or less settled his supremacy.  
  
Then, he makes the mistake of gripping the Professor.  
  
The Girls hear him, and come rushing back...and, well, you know the rest...  
  
***  
  
The End  
  
***  
  
Well, now you know all three reactions. Buttercup reacted by cloaking herself in anger, Blossom reacted by cloaking herself in a lack of emotions, and Bubbles reacted by convincing herself that the Professor was perfect and that all would be well when they were reunited. E-mail all questions and comments to bleifer@comcast.net 


End file.
